# Chapter 12: Revelation
Return to Notting Academy
As Chen Sheng made his way back toward Notting Academy after his two-week absence, he could already see Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Yu Xiaogang waiting in the courtyard. Word had spread that he had returned.
"Brother Sheng!" Xiao Wu rushed forward the moment she saw him, relief evident on her face. "You're finally back! We were starting to worry!"
『DING! DETECTED Xiao Wu's excitement emotion toward host. Congratulations! Reward: Treasure Chest acquired!』
Tang San approached with his characteristic calm demeanor, though his eyes held intense curiosity. "Chen Sheng, how did it go? Were you successful in obtaining your third soul ring?"
『DING! DETECTED Tang San's curious emotion toward host. Congratulations! Reward: Treasure Chest acquired!』
Yu Xiaogang stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his scholarly expression betraying his interest. "Indeed. Acquiring a third soul ring is always dangerous. What was your result?"
『DING! DETECTED Yu Xiaogang's Curious emotion toward host. Congratulations! Reward: Treasure Chest acquired!』
Chen Sheng smiled and released his White Tiger martial soul. The magnificent beast materialized behind him.
Then three soul rings rose from beneath his feet. He displayed them with minimal adjustment: yellow, purple, black.
The courtyard fell into stunned silence.
"Black?!" Yu Xiaogang's composure shattered completely. "Your third soul ring is black?! That's a ten-thousand-year soul ring! That should be impossible for a Soul Elder to absorb!"
『DING! DETECTED Yu Xiaogang's Shock emotion toward host. Congratulations! Reward: Treasure Chest acquired!』
Tang San's eyes widened as he stared at the black soul ring. A ten-thousand-year ring as a third soul ring? According to all of Master's theories, that shouldn't be survivable. How did he...
『DING! DETECTED Tang San's Astonishment emotion toward host. Congratulations! Reward: Treasure Chest acquired!』
Xiao Wu's mouth fell open in amazement. "Brother Sheng, that's incredible! But wasn't that extremely dangerous?"
『DING! DETECTED Xiao Wu's Awe emotion toward host. Congratulations! Reward: Treasure Chest acquired!』
Yu Xiaogang stepped closer, examining the soul rings with the intense focus of a researcher presented with impossible data. "Chen Sheng, what is your current soul power level?"
"Level 34," Chen Sheng replied calmly.
If the black soul ring had caused shock, this statement created absolute pandemonium.
"Level 34?!" Yu Xiaogang looked as if his entire worldview was crumbling. "You advanced four full levels from a single soul ring absorption? That's... I've documented thousands of cases and never seen anything like this!"
『DING! DETECTED Yu Xiaogang's Professional Crisis and Disbelief emotions toward host. Congratulations! Reward: Treasure Chest acquired!』
Tang San felt his suspicions about Chen Sheng crystallize into near-certainty. *Four levels from one ring, a black ring he shouldn't have survived, mysterious techniques... He's definitely hiding something major. Could he be like me—my Suspicion is really true?"
『DING! DETECTED Tang San's Deep Suspicion and Determination emotions toward host. Congratulations! Reward: Treasure Chest acquired!』
Xiao Wu felt a complicated mixture of pride and concern. "Brother Sheng, you're getting so powerful so quickly! I need to train even harder to keep up with you!"
She felt a small pang of envy at his rapid advancement, though it was mixed with genuine admiration.
『DING! DETECTED Xiao Wu's Envy and Competitive Spirit emotions toward host. Congratulations! Reward: Treasure Chest acquired!』
Nine treasure chests from revealing my advancement, Chen Sheng noted with satisfaction. Perfect.
Over the following days, the news spread throughout Notting Academy. Even the academy director came to verify the reports personally, staring at Chen Sheng's black soul ring with a mixture of disbelief and jealousy.
---
After finding privacy in his secluded spot behind the academy, Chen Sheng decided to open his accumulated treasure chests.
System, open all treasure chests.
『Treasure Chest opened! Congratulations to master for receiving "Traditional Medical Expert Knowledge"』
Chen Sheng felt comprehensive medical information flood his mind—everything from herbal remedies and acupuncture techniques to surgical procedures and diagnostic methods. This knowledge spanned both his previous world's medical science and world's ancient traditional medical arts.
This could be incredibly useful, Chen Sheng thought with satisfaction. Not just for treating injuries, but for understanding the human body at a deeper level.
『Treasure Chest opened! Congratulations to master for receiving "Thunder Attribute ×1"』
『Would you like to fuse this attribute with your any martial soul?』
Fuse it with White Tiger martial soul Chen Sheng said. The system automatically integrated it when I released my martial soul. The thunder attribute had already merged with his White Tiger, adding a devastating elemental component to his beast spirit.
『Treasure Chest opened! Congratulations to master for receiving "Heaven Devouring Demon Technique"』
The moment this information entered his consciousness, Chen Sheng nearly staggered from the sheer volume and complexity.
This was no simple cultivation method—it was an ancient, forbidden technique that allowed the practitioner to devour and absorb all types of energy to strengthen themselves.
The technique could absorb vitality from plants, soul power from defeated enemies, even ambient spiritual energy from the environment. The only limitations were that the target couldn't resist too strongly or be significantly more powerful than the user.
Chen Sheng spent several days studying and beginning to cultivate this technique. His first successful test came when he extended his hand toward a cluster of wild grass.
The plants' vibrant green color immediately faded to pale yellow as their life force was drawn into his body. Leaves withered and fell, leaving only dry husks behind.
The sensation was intoxicating—pure energy flowing directly into his body, strengthening his foundation without the need for traditional cultivation.
He resolved. Using it on plants and natural energy sources is one thing, but absorbing energy from humans... that would make me no different from a demonic cultivator.
『Treasure Chest opened! Congratulations to master for receiving "Chips packets ×3"』
"...."
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One Month Later
The four travelers—Chen Sheng, Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Yu Xiaogang—were making their way toward Soto City, where the mysterious Shrek Academy was located.
"Brother Sheng, are you really sure about going to Shrek Academy with Tang San?" Xiao Wu asked with obvious frustration. "Who exactly is at Shrek Academy? Why do you insist on going there?"
She gestured emphatically as she continued. "Given our current strength, so many intermediate and even advanced Soul Master academies have sent us invitations! Even the Dean said we could consider going to an advanced academy in Balak Kingdom, and perhaps later even have a chance to participate in the Continental Soul Master Competition!"
"I've asked everyone at the academy about Shrek Academy, and nobody has ever heard of it. It might be some unqualified school without even proper certification. What good could it possibly do for our cultivation?"
Chen Sheng smiled at Xiao Wu's concern. Over the past years, their relationship had grown significantly closer—not quite romantic, but with an undeniable bond that went beyond simple friendship. He was quite satisfied with how Xiao Wu had developed under his guidance. She had learned to cultivate diligently, keep a low profile, and avoid getting over-involved in meaningless conflicts.
"Don't worry, don't you trust your brother?" Chen Sheng said gently. "If Grandmaster really has tricked us, we can just leave. You said it yourself—with our current strength, we won't have trouble finding a good advanced academy."
In truth, Chen Sheng had his own reasons for insisting on Shrek Academy.
Once they arrived and Tang Hao finally left completely, he could act more freely without constant surveillance from the legendary Titled Douluo.
Moreover, he had a very specific purpose: Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing were both supposed to be there. Coming to the Douluo World with memories of his past life, if he didn't pursue relationships with beautiful and interesting women, what would be the point?
If it weren't for curiosity about meeting Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, who would willingly go to that remote Shrek Academy?
Chen Sheng considered himself quite materialistic when it came to such matters. He appreciated beauty and wasn't ashamed to admit it. Of course, in his previous life, he could only admire such women on screens.
Now he could interact with them directly—how could he pass up that opportunity?
Of course, simpering and pursuing them desperately is impossible, Chen Sheng thought firmly. In the Douluo World, you attract others with your strength and character. If you can't, then cut your losses quickly and move on.
His trip to Saint Spirit Village had also been influenced by this philosophy. Ah Yin was described as an extremely beautiful woman in the original story, and she also possessed the "married woman" mystique that added complexity.
When she eventually reformed after 100,000 years, her body would be completely new and in her prime.
Fortunately, his jade pendant contained system-granted properties that completely suppressed Ah Yin's aura and the Blue Silver Emperor Spirit Bone's energy signature.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have acted so boldly.
After all, compared to beautiful women, my own life is considerably more important, Chen Sheng acknowledged pragmatically.
At that moment, Chen Sheng saw Tang San walking out from Yu Xiaogang's temporary quarters, and immediately asked, "How was it? Did you convince him?"
Tang San's face showed genuine happiness. "Yes, I finally convinced Teacher. He's preparing to go to Shrek Academy with us."
"Tang San, are you absolutely sure Shrek Academy is worthwhile?" Xiao Wu interjected skeptically. "If I find out Grandmaster is fooling us, see how I'll beat you! Don't forget, my strength is still higher than yours."
Yu Xiaogang emerged carrying a simple travel pack and heard Xiao Wu's complaint. "Don't worry. Shrek Academy is indeed not well-known on the Continent, but this academy only accepts monsters—students with exceptional talent. I can tell you in advance that Shrek was founded by Flender, whom you met once before. An academy founded by a level 78 Spirit Saint should still have some credibility, right?"
Yu Xiaogang had originally not planned to accompany them to Shrek Academy. After all, he had been avoiding both Flender and Liu Erlong for years.
Because of complicated past events involving the three of them, he didn't want to face them—he was quite concerned about maintaining his dignity.
However, under Chen Sheng's indirect pressure and Tang San's rapid improvement, the situation had changed. Tang San had reached level 30 more than ten days ago, necessitating a third soul ring.
According to Yu Xiaogang's theories, Tang San's optimal choice for a third spirit ring was the Man-Faced Demon Spider, but there were basically no such creatures in the nearby Soul Hunting Forest. If he wanted one, they would need to venture into the Star Dou Great Forest.
Seeing his disciple's expectant gaze, and remembering Tang San's image of cultivating desperately to one day surpass Chen Sheng, Yu Xiaogang had finally relented.
What surprised Chen Sheng was that Tang San truly deserved his status as the story's protagonist. He had managed to obtain the Eight Spider Lances external spirit bone when hunting the Man-Faced Demon Spider in the Star Dou Great Forest—half a year ahead of the original timeline! Both he and Xiao Wu had now reached level 32.
However, after learning that Tang San had obtained the Eight Spider Lances, Chen Sheng wasn't depressed at all. On the contrary, he felt somewhat excited about the implications.
His growth only makes the story more interesting, Chen Sheng mused. A stronger Tang San means more challenging situations and more opportunities to earn treasure chests.
---
A few days later, after the four of them traveled swiftly, they estimated they would arrive in Soto City the following day.
Just then, Chen Sheng felt rapid footsteps approaching from behind, and suddenly a soft body collided with his back.
A young woman had practically collapsed against him, her black cloak feeling damp against his skin. Chen Sheng immediately smelled the distinctive metallic scent of rust.
Blood!
"Brother, this person... seems to be injured, and it looks quite serious?" Xiao Wu said with immediate concern, noticing blood slowly flowing down Chen Sheng's arm.
Before they could properly assess the situation, two figures in black masks materialized from the forest shadows. Soul power erupted from both—one at level 38, the other at level 39. Three soul rings rose beneath each of them: white, yellow, yellow. Their martial souls manifested as a Wild Cat and a Tiger respectively.
"Hand over the girl," the Wild Cat martial soul user demanded coldly. "She belongs to the Zhu family. This is none of your concern."
"Leave now and we'll spare your lives," the Tiger spirit user added threateningly.
Chen Sheng gently transferred the unconscious woman to Xiao Wu's support and stepped forward. His eyes had already assessed both attackers—Soul Elders with mediocre martial souls and unimpressive soul ring configurations.
"You dare attack someone under my protection?" Chen Sheng's voice was calm but carried an edge of danger. "That was your first mistake. Your second mistake was not running when you had the chance."
His White Tiger martial soul erupted with explosive force. Three soul rings rose beneath his feet—two purple and one black, though he displayed them as yellow, purple, purple using his aura adjustment ability. Thunder crackled across the magnificent beast's form, and his enhanced aura alone was enough to make both attackers stumble backward.
"Impos—" The Wild Cat user couldn't even finish his exclamation before Chen Sheng activated Shadow Rush.
The fight was brutally brief. Chen Sheng moved like lightning incarnate, his thunder-enhanced strikes devastating the two Soul Elders before they could mount any effective defense. Within seconds, both lay dead on the ground, their expressions frozen in shock and disbelief.
『DING! DETECTED Yu Xiaogang's Shock emotion toward host. Congratulations! Reward: Treasure Chest acquired!』
『DING! DETECTED Tang San's Awe and Growing Suspicion emotions toward host. Congratulations! Reward: Treasure Chest acquired!』
『DING! DETECTED Xiao Wu's Admiration emotion toward host. Congratulations! Reward: Treasure Chest acquired!』
Before dying, the attackers had stared at Chen Sheng's White Tiger martial soul with recognition, clearly wanting to ask something but losing their breath before words could form.
"Brother Sheng, that was..." Tang San began, but Chen Sheng cut him off.
"Later. Right now, we need to help this woman."
Chen Sheng turned his attention to the injured girl. "Xiao Wu, help me support her. I need to examine her back—the blood is flowing from there, and I suspect she's been poisoned."
He couldn't understand why Zhu Zhuqing had appeared here, injured and fleeing from pursuers. This wasn't how events unfolded in the original timeline.
Could she have escaped from her sister's assassination attempt but was severely injured as a result? Chen Sheng speculated. But how did she survive and reach this location in the original story? The timeline has definitely shifted.
After removing the black cloak, Chen Sheng could clearly see a long, deep laceration across her back, with discolored tissue around the edges indicating poison.
"This wound was caused by a Poison Claw attack," Chen Sheng announced, drawing on his newly acquired medical knowledge. "The poison is already spreading through her system."
Yu Xiaogang and Tang San watched as Chen Sheng swiftly gathered specific medicinal herbs from the surrounding forest, demonstrating expertise that shocked both of them.
"Chen Sheng, where did you learn such advanced medical knowledge?" Yu Xiaogang asked with obvious astonishment.
『DING! DETECTED Yu Xiaogang's Amazement emotion toward host. Congratulations! Reward: Treasure Chest acquired!』
Tang San's suspicions deepened as he observed Chen Sheng's confident movements and extensive knowledge. No six-year-old should possess this level of medical expertise, no matter how talented, he thought grimly. Combined with his mysterious cultivation speed, combat instincts, and now this... I'm almost certain he's like me—someone reborn from another world. But what are his true intentions?
『DING! DETECTED Tang San's Deep Suspicion emotion toward host. Congratulations! Reward: Treasure Chest acquired!』
After the two of them helped carry Zhu Zhuqing into their tent, Chen Sheng handed carefully prepared medicines to Xiao Wu. "For this treatment, give her one pill, and grind the other with water to apply directly to her wound, then bandage it properly. It should heal completely within a few days.
Such a beautiful girl—it would be a tragedy if she was left with a permanent scar."
Xiao Wu's eyes lit up at the first part of Chen Sheng's instructions. She had known for years that her recognized brother was extraordinary, but his capabilities continued to expand in unexpected ways. However, she was sensible enough not to ask too many questions. Chen Sheng would explain what needed explaining in his own time.
But after hearing the second half of his comment about the girl being beautiful, Xiao Wu felt an inexplicable sourness in her chest.
Xiao Wu remained silent for a moment, then pouted slightly.
"Brother, you couldn't have seen she was a beauty and then had a change of heart, could you?" Xiao Wu said with mock suspicion. "You told me before that cultivation is important, and not to waste unnecessary energy on other things."
"Hahaha, Xiao Wu, could you possibly be... jealous?" Chen Sheng couldn't help but tease her.
"Jealous? Why would I be jealous for no reason?" Xiao Wu protested, her face flushing. "As your younger sister, I have an obligation to remind you that before becoming truly strong, diligent cultivation should be our primary focus!"
Though Xiao Wu felt like her private thoughts had been exposed, she quickly focused on the practical matters at hand. Looking at the unconscious girl's pale but delicate features, she had to admit it really would be a shame if such beauty was marred by scarring.
After pushing Chen Sheng out of the tent and warning all three men not to approach within three meters without her permission, she retrieved a basin, water kettle, and towels from her storage tool to begin cleaning Zhu Zhuqing.
After carefully removing Zhu Zhuqing's blood-soaked upper garment, Xiao Wu couldn't help but widen her eyes and instinctively cover her mouth. She looked at Zhu Zhuqing's... proportions, then at her own, and immediately fell into depressed silence.
How did she develop like this? Xiao Wu thought with dismay. Looking at Zhu Zhuqing's delicate face, she estimated they should be around the same age.
Out of curiosity, after cleaning the bloodstains and applying the medicine, Xiao Wu carefully examined Zhu Zhuqing's bone structure to estimate her age.
Xiao Wu fell silent again. Then she felt shocked. Then she wanted to cry.
Although her assessment might be slightly inaccurate, Zhu Zhuqing appeared to actually be... younger than her by several months!
Outside the tent, Chen Sheng was having very different thoughts.
When I see Dai Mubai tomorrow or the day after, I'm going to beat him senseless, Chen Sheng thought with cold determination.
With his current strength, he probably couldn't even defeat Tang San, let alone me.
What Chen Sheng hadn't revealed to anyone was the true significance of Zhu Zhuqing's identity—at least, as it related to himself.
When Chen Sheng had been born as Prince Dai Sheng three months into his life, the Emperor had established an engagement between the infant prince and the Zhu family head's newborn daughter. That daughter's name was Zhu Zhuqing, who had been only few days old at the time.
When Dai Sheng went missing, the Empress had canceled this marriage arrangement and instead established an engagement between Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing. This shift had sealed both their fates within the brutal succession system of the Star Luo Empire.[1]
Zhu Zhuqing was originally my fiancée, Chen Sheng reflected grimly. And Dai Mubai has treated her terribly, abandoning her to flee to another empire while she suffered under her sister's persecution. That alone gives me every right to intervene.
More than half an hour later, Zhu Zhuqing opened her eyes slowly, consciousness returning in gradual waves.
As her vision focused, she vaguely saw a girl around her age sitting cross-legged beside her. Zhu Zhuqing immediately became alert, but then noticed the clean clothes on her body and the tight feeling of professional bandages. The terrible pain in her back had reduced to a dull ache.
She also noticed, with some embarrassment, that although the clothes she now wore were clean, they were distinctly too small for her frame.
Xiao Wu sensed the movement and immediately stopped her cultivation. "How do you feel now?" she asked gently. "My name is Xiao Wu. You suddenly collapsed just now. I've already given you the medicine my brother prepared. You should check your condition."
Zhu Zhuqing's face remained characteristically cold and expressionless.
After nodding acknowledgment, she carefully assessed her body's condition and was genuinely surprised to find that the poison she had been suffering from was completely neutralized!
"Do you have any spare clothes with you?" Xiao Wu asked, her tone carrying an edge of sourness she couldn't quite suppress. "My clothes are really too small for you."
Then, not wanting to seem petty but unable to help herself, she added: "You still haven't said your name. And may I ask how old you are?"
"Zhu Zhuqing," the dark-haired girl replied simply. "I'm eleven and a half years old."
Xiao Wu's expression froze. Younger than me, and yet...
She decided not to pursue that line of thought any further. Some battles simply couldn't be won through cultivation alone.
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[1] I tried to add twist but don't take it to the heart. I know my plot twisting skill are not good.